Process and apparatus for transferring an emulsifiable fluid from a zone of high pressure to a zone of low pressure



.Feb. 18, 1941. D. ASHWORTH 2,232,198

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING AN EMULSIFIABLE FLUID FROM A ZONEOF HIGH PRESSURE TO A ZONE OF LOW PRESSURE Filed-July 30, 1937 F763. Aig 17624. MVf/V/O/F W/T/VESS:

flanze/dflvzzzy x gs/ worf/ 06M Mm:

Patented Feb. 18, 1941 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TRAN S-FERRING AN EMULSIFIABLE FLUID FROM A ZONE OF HIGH PRESSURE TO A ZONE FLOW PRESSURE Daniel Irving Ashworth,

Wappingers Falls, N. Y.,

assignor, to The De Laval Separator Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New Jersey Application July 30, 1937, Serial No. 156,448

19 Claims.

My invention comprises a. method of and apparatus for releasing anemulsifiable liquid or mixture of liquids from a zone of high pressureto one of low pressure without atomization or emulsification.

In an application for patent filed by me September 25, 1936, Serial No.102,511, I describe a process for treating oils under high pressure andheat. At one point in that process the oil, which, at that time, haswater mixed with it, must be, after being cooled, released from acontainer at high pressure to one at atmospheric pressure. I have foundthat if this is done by allowing it to flow through a throttle valve,the oil and water, as stated in the description of such application,will be so strongly emulsified that it is commercially impossible toseparate them. While pumps, operating as motors, will often avoidatomization, still, under high pressure, some of the mixture is forcedthrough the clearances between the pump members and is stronglyemulsified.

I have found that, if a chamber is filled with a non-miscible liquid, asfor instance water, and a connection between the oil container and thechamber opened wide, while an outlet for the water is only partlyopened, the oil will flow into the chamber quietly at the slow rate atwhich the water can flow through the partly opened outlet. When thechamber is nearly filled with oil, it can be disconnected from thecontainer and connected with a receptacle at atmospheric pressure, andthe water flowing back into it will cause the oil to flow out quietly.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates different embodiments ofmy invention:

Fig. 1 is an elevational diagrammatic view of a manually operable devicefor intermittent release of oil;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a manually operable device for continuousrelease of oil;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of an automatically operable device forcontinuous release of oil and Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section, ofthe device of Fig. 3, showing the application thereto of means to socontrol the flow of water that the oil level is maintained uniform at acertain point in the apparatus under high pressure.

Referring first to the construction shown in Fig. l:

From a container A for oil at high pressure leads a pipe a-o, having avalve b, to a chamber d, which is fillable with a non-miscible liquid,as for instance water, through a pipe with a valve 6. f is a throttlevalve in a pipe for the release of water from the chamber (1. g is apipe with a valve for controlling the outflow of oil from the chamberthrough a pipe to a receptacle X at lower pressure.

In operating the device shown in Fig. l, the 15 valve e is opened andthe chamber d is nearly filled with water, during which valve 22 isclosed. Valve e is then closed, and while the valve in pipe g is keptclosed, valve 1) is fully opened and valve ,7 partly opened. The highpressure of oil in the 10 pipe a will force it into the chamber 01 asfast as the water can escape through the valve 1. Because'the valve b iswide open there will be no atomizing or emulsifying action on the oil.When chamber d is nearly filled with oil, which can be 15 determined byobservation of an ordinary gauge glass attached to its side, valves 1and b are closed and valve g is opened wide; Because oil and water areboth incompressible, the pressure will immediately drop to that of thelow pressure re- ZO vceptacle X to which pipe gis connected. Openingvalve e will admit water to drive out the oil. Then valve e and thevalve in pipe 9 .are now closed, valve b is opened wide and valve 1partly opened and the chamber it again fills with oil.

Referring to Fig. 2:

, The pipev a from the container for oil at high pressure communicates,through a manually operable four-way valve B, with branch pipes c and0', connecting respectively with the tops of cham-f 3 bers d and d;pipes c and 0' also communicating, through valve B, with an oil outflowpipe g leading to a receptacle for oil 'at low pressure. A throttlevalve f is appliedto a pipe connecting the bottoms of the chambers 01and d.

With the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, starting with tank'd full of waterand tank d nearly empty, if valve B is in the position shown, oil canflow from the container A at high pressure through pipe a, valve B andpipe 0 into container ;40 d as fast as the water can flow throughthrottle valve I, while the air in container d escapes through pipe 0',valve B and pipe 9. When the container at is nearly full of oil andcontainer d is full of water, valve B is turned 90, whereupon oil willflow through pipe a, valve B and pipe 0' into tank (1, forcing waterthrough throttle valve f" into tank :1 and displacing oil through pipe0, valve B and pipe g to a receptacle at low pressure.

Fig. 3 shows the same construction as Fig. 2, with the addition of afloat h sliding freely, between stops i, 7', on a rod is connected, by alever 1, with the valve- B. The float h has a weight intermediatebetween the weights of-equal VOl-r 55 umes of oil and of water. With theparts in the position shown, oil is flowing through pipe a, valve B andpipe into chamber d, forcing water through throttle valve 1" intochamber d and 5 oil out of chamber cl through pipe 0', valve B and pipe9' to a receptacle at low pressure. 'As the water rises it will carrythe float h with it until the float strikes the stop 2', when it willalso lift the rod is, and, through the lever l,

10 turn the valve B until the connections are reversed, When oil willflow into chamber 01 and out of chamber d. As the water level in chamber(2 falls, the float falls with it until it strikes the stop 5;, lowersthe rod is and turns the lever n to return valve B to the position shownin Fig. 3.

Any well known means may be used to retard the start of movement ofvalve B until there is force enough to cause it to make a completereversal quickly. Or it may be operated by any 0 suitable means or on adefinite time schedule.

Referring to Fig. 4':

F is the body of a valve which replaces the valve f or f in any of theprevious figures. It is shown as replacing the valve ,7" of Fig. 3. It

5 has a circular valve seat 12. for a tapered valve 0, which is movable,inside the seatn, by a rod p connected, by a lever q, to a float r in achamber s wherein it is desirable to maintain a uniform level. When oilis being discharged from the 30 container A water flows through valvebody F. If the rate of discharge is so fast that the level in thecontainer falls, the float T will also fall and, by raising the tapervalve 0 will decrease the area of the flow passage, causing a reduction35 in the rate of discharge. If the rate of discharge from container Ais so slow that the level in the container rises, the float 1' will riseand lower the taper valve 0 to increase the area of the flow passage.

'30 In the process of the patent application hereinbefore mentioned, itis desirable that the level of the oil be maintained uniform at acertain point in the apparatus. The chamber s of Fig. 4 is connected tothe apparatus so that its center 45 is at about the desired level. Ifthe level of oil in chamber s rises, the float will rise and move thetapered valve 0 downward, as above described, so that water can flowmore rapidly and let out more oil. Conversely, if the level of oil 5 inchamber S lowers, valve 0 will move upward and increase the throttlingso that water and oil will both move more slowly.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that my inventioncomprises means,

5 controllable manually or automatically, to discharge oil from acontainer at high pressure to a receiver at low pressure, eitherintermittently or continuously, without wiredrawing, atomization oremulsification; and also means for auto- 60 matically maintaininga-uniform level of oil in any desired part of an apparatus in which oilis so discharged from high pressure to low pressure.

While in the foregoing description I have used 65 the word oil inreferring to the liquid being discharged and water in referring to thecontrol liquid, the apparatus is useable for discharge of any liquidliable to be deleteriously affected by throttling and for any controlliquid non- 70 miscible with the liquid being discharged, any

two such liquids being the equivalents, in my invention, for oil andwater. It will be understood that the specific details of the differentembodiments described may be varied without depart- 75 ing from myinvention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In means for transferring an emulsifiable liquid from a zone of highpressure to a zone of low pressure without substantial atomization or 5emulsification, the combination with a high pres sure container and alow pressure receiver for the liquid to be transferred, of twointermediate chambers adapted to contain a body of liquid non-misciblewith the first named liquid, means 1 affording communication betweeneach chamber and the container and between each chamber and thereceiver, an independent connection between the two chambers for backand forth flow of said non-miscible liquid, valve means operable to con-15 nect the container with one chamber and the receiver with the otherchamber and alternately therewith to reverse said connections, therebycausing liquid from the container, subject to the pressure therein, toexpel, to the low pressure receiver, through an intermediate body ofnonmiscible liquid, a succession of previously discharged bodies of thefirst named liquid, and means restricting the rate of flow ofnon-miscible liquid through said independent connection, saidcommunicating means being relatively unrestricted, thereby allowingtransfer of the emulsifiable liquid from the container to the receiverWithout atomization or emulsification thereof notwithstanding thepressure difference between the container and the receiver.

2. An apparatus for the transfer of an emulsifiable fluid from a highpressure zone to a low pressure zone and for maintaining a substantiallyuniform level of fluid in the high pressure zone, comprising a highpressure container and a low pressure receiver, an intermediate chamberfillable alternately With said fluid and a fluid nonmiscible therewith,and means to throttle the flow of said non-miscible fluid and to varythe 4b throttling of the flow inversely with changes of level in saidcontainer.

3. In means for transferring an emulsifiable fluid from a zone of highpressure to a zone of low pressure without substantial atomization oremulsification, the combination with a high pressure container and a lowpressure receiver for the liquid to be transferred, of two intermediatechambers adapted to contain a body of fluid non-miscible with the firstnamed fluid means aflording communication between each chamber and thecontainer and between each chamber and the receiver, an independentconnection between the two chambers for back and forth flow of saidnon-miscible fluid, valve means operable to connect the container withone chamber and the receiver with the other chamber and alternatelytherewith to reverse said connections, thereby causing fluid from thecontainer, subject to the pressure therein, to expel, to the lowerpressure 00 receiver, through an intermediate body of nonmiscible fluid,a succession of previously discharged bodies of the first named fluid,and means to throttle the flow of said non-miscible fluid through saidindependent connection and to vary the throttling of the flow inverselywith changes of level in the container.

4. An apparatus for the transfer of an emulsifiable fluid from a highpressure zone to a low pressure zone, comprising a high pressurecontainer and a low pressure receiver, two intermediate chambers adaptedto be filled alternately the one with said fluid and the other withanother fluid non-miscible therewith, a cross connection between the twochambers for flow from each chamber to the other of non-miscible-tfluid,means to connect one of said chambers with said container and the otherwith said receiver and alternately therewith to reverse saidconnections, whereby each of said chambers is subjected alternately tothe high pressure and to the low pres sure and the non-miscible fluid isforcedback and forth between the two chambers, and means re strictingthe rate of flow of non-miscible fluid through said cross connection,said connecting means being relatively unrestricted, thereby allowingtransfer of the emulsifiable fluid from the container to the receiverwithout atomization or emulsiflcation thereof notwithstanding thepressure difference between the container and the receiver. 7,

5. An apparatus for the transfer of an emulsifiable fluid from a highpressure zone to a low pressure zone, comprising a high pressurecontainer and a low pressure receiver, two intermediate chambers, across connection between them, said chambers containing a quantity offluid (non-miscible with the first mentioned fluid) great enough to morethan fill one of them, a multiported valve adapted in its movement toconnect one chamber with the container,

thereby placing that chamber under high pressure, and the other chamberwith the receiver, thereby placing the second chamber under lowpressure, and alternately therewith to reverse said connections, so thateach of the chambers is alternately filled with the first named fluidpushing the non-miscible fluid therein to the other chamber and withnon-miscible fluid pushing the first named fluid therein to thereceiver, and means to throttle the flow of non-miscible fluid throughsaid cross connection to thereby control the rate of flow of theemulsifiable fluid through said multiported valve, whereby transfer ofthe emulsifiable liquid from the container to the receiver is effectedwithout atomization or emulsification thereof notwithstanding thepressure difference between the container and the receiver.

6. An apparatus for the transfer of an emulsifiable fluid from a highpressure zone to a low pressure zone, comprising a high pressurecontainer and a low pressure receiver, two intermediate chambers, across connection between them, said chambers containing a quantity offluid (non-miscible with the first mentioned fluid) great enough to morethan fill one of them, a multiported valve adapted in its movement toconnect one chamber with the container, thereby placing that chamberunder high pressure, and the other chamber with the receiver,

thereby placing the second chamber under low pressure, and alternatelytherewith to reverse said connections, so that each of the chambers v.isalternately filled with the first named fluid pushing the non-misciblefluid therein to the other chamber and with non-miscible fluid pushingthe first named fluid therein to the receiver, automatically operatingmeans to effect said reversal of connections and means to throttle theflow of non-miscible fluid through said cross connection to therebycontrol the rate of flow of the emulsifiable fluid through saidmultiported valve, whereby transfer of the emulsifiable liquid from thecontainer to the receiver is effected without atomization oremulsification thereof notwithstanding the pressure difference betweenthe container and the receiver.

7. In means for transferring an emulsifiable liquid from a zone of highpressure to a zone of low-pressure without substantial atomization oremulsiflcation, the combination with a high pressure container and a lowpressure receiver for the liquid to be transferred, of an intermediatechamber adapted to contain a liquid non-miscible with the first namedliquid, valve-controlled means to effect displacement of non-miscibleliquid by flow of the first named liquid from said container into saidintermediate chamber and alternately therewith, to effect displacement,by the non-miscible liquid, of the first named liquid so admitted intosaid chamber and its discharge to the receiver, and means to maintainthe first liquid, before its release from the high pressure container,at an approximately constant level, said last named means comprising avalve, controlling the rate of flow of the non-miscible liquid, operableby minor variations in said level.

8. An apparatus for the transfer of an emulsifiable fluidfrom a highpressure zone to a low pressurezone and for maintaining a substantiallyuniform level of fluid in the high pressure zone, comprising a highpressure container and a low pressure receiver, two intermediatechambers, a cross connection between them, said chambers containing aquantity of fluid (non-miscible with the first mentioned fluid) greatenough to more than fill one of them, a multiported valve adapted in itsmovement to connect one chamber with the container, thereby placing thatchamber under high pressure, and the other chamber with the receiver,thereby placing the second chamber under low pressure, and alternatelytherewith to reverse said connections, so that each of the chambers isalternately filled with the first named fluid pushing the non-misciblefluid therein to the other chamber and with nonmiscible fluid pushingthe first named fluid therein to the receiver, and means controlled bythe rise and fall of fluid in said container to control the rate of flowof non-miscible fluid through said cross connection so that its rateincreases or decreases with rise and fall of fluid in said container. v

9. In an apparatus for the transfer of an emulsiflable fluid from a highpressure zone to a low pressure zone, a high pressure container, a lowpressure receiver, an intermediate chamber adapted to receive such fluidand also a fluid non-miscible therewith and into which is adapted to, beadmitted, alternately, emulsifiable fluid from the container to effectdischarge from said chamber of the non-miscible fluid, and nonmisciblefluid to effect discharge from said chamberpf the said chamber of thenon-miscible fluid, and nonmiscible fluid to effect discharge from saidchamberof the emulsifiable fluid into the low pressure receiver, meansoperable by the rise and fall of level .of the non-miscible fluid insaid intermediatechamber, to effect said alternate operation and meansvrestricting the rate of discharge from said chamber of the non-misciblefluid, the conemulsifiable fluid into the low pressure receiver, andmeans to throttle the outflow of the nection from the high pressurecontainer to the intermediate chamber and from the intermediate chamberto the receiver being relatively unrestricted, thereby allowing transferof the-emulsifiable fluid from the container to the receiver withoutatomization or emulsification notwithstanding the pressure differencebetween the container and the receiver.

11. In an apparatus for the transfer of an emulsifiable fluid from ahigh pressure zone to a low pressure zone, a high pressure container, alow pressure receiver, an intermediate chamber adapted to receive suchfluid and also a fluid non-miscible therewith and into which is adaptedto be admitted, alternately, emulsifiable fluid from the container toeffect discharge from said chamber of the non-miscible fluid, andnonmiscible fluid to effect discharge from said chamber of theemulsifiable fluid into the low pressure receiver, means to throttle theoutflow of the non-miscible fluid and vary the throttling of the flowinversely with changes of level in said container, and other means,operable by the rise and fall of level of the non-miscible fluid in saidintermediate chamber, to effect said alternate operation.

12. The herein described process of transferring an emulsifiable liquidfrom a zone of high pressure to a zone of low pressure, withoutsubstantial atomization or emulsification, which comprises displacing,by emulsifiable liquid from the high pressure zone, liquid, non-misciblewith the first liquid, from one of two intermediate zones to the otherand at the same time utilizing the flow of non-miscible liquid into thesecond intermediate zone to displace emulsifiable liquid therein intothe low pressure zone; alternately with the above operation displacing,by emulsifiable liquid from the high pressure zone, the non-miscibleliquid in the second intermediate zone into the first intermediate zoneand at the same time utilizing the flow of non-miscible liquid into thesecond intermediate zone to displace emulsifiable liquid therein intothe low pressure zone and restricting the rate of flow of theemulsifiable liquid into and out of each intermediate zone solely byrestricting the rate of displacement of the non-miscible liquid from oneintermediate zone to the other, thereby avoiding atomization oremulsification of the emulsifiable liquid in its transfer from the highpressure zone to the low pressure zone notwithstanding the pressuredifierence between the high and low pressure zones.

13. The herein described process of transfer ring an emulsifiable liquidfrom a zone of high pressure to a zone of low pressure withoutatomization or emulsification, which comprises displacing a body ofliquid, non-miscible with the first named liquid, by flowing the firstnamed liquid from the high pressure zone while such flowing liquid isclosed from communication with the low pressure zone, closingcommunication between the high pressure zone and the body of the firstnamed liquid that has effected said displacement, opening communicationbetween said body of first named liquid and the low pressure zone and bymeans of said non-miscible liquid displacing said body of first namedliquid and discharging it to the low pressure zone, controlling the saidseries of operations by the rise and fall of the level of said body ofnon-miscible liquid and restricting the rate of displacement of thenonmiscible liquid by the emulsifiable liquid'solely by restricting theoutflow of the non-miscible liquid. g

14. The herein described process of transferring an emulsifiable liquidfrom a zone of high pressure to a zone of low pressure without atomization or emulsification, which comprises displacing a body of liquid,non-miscible with the first named liquid, by flowing the first namedliquid from the high pressure zone while such flowing liquid is closedfrom communication with the low pressure zone, closing communicationbetween the high pressure zone and the body of the first named liquidthat has effected said displacement, opening communication between saidbody of the first named liquid and the low pressure zone and by means ofsaid non-miscible liquid displacing said body of first named liquid anddischarging it to the low pressure zone, throttling the displacement ofthe non-miscible fluid, and varying said throttling inversely withchanges of level of the emulsifiable liquid in the high pressure zone.

15. The herein described process of transferring an-emulsifiable liquidfrom a zone of high pressureto a zone of low pressure withoutatomization or emulsification, which comprises displacing a body ofliquid, non-miscible with the first named liquid, by flowing the firstnamed liquid from the high pressure zone while such flowing liquid isclosed from communication with the low pressure zone, closingcommunication between the high pressure zone and the body of the firstnamed liquid that has effected said displacement, opening communicationbetween said body of first named liquid and the low pressure zone and bymeans of said non-miscible liquid displacing said body of first namedliquid and discharging it to the low pressure zone, controlling the saidseriesv ofoperations by the rise'and fall in said intermediate chamberof the level therein of non-miscible liquid, throttling the displacementof the non-miscible fluid, and varying said throttling inversely withchanges of level of the emulsifiable liquid in the high pressure zone.

16. The herein described process of transferring an emulsifiable liquidfrom a zone of high pressure to a zone of low pressure, withoutatomization or emulsification, which comprises displacing a body ofliquid, non-miscible with the first named liquid, in an intermediatezone closed from communication with the low pressure zone, by flowingthe emulsifiable liquid from the high pressure zone to the intermediatezone and thereby discharging therefrom the non-miscible liquid, closingcommunication between the high pressure zone and the intermediate zoneand opening communication between the intermediate zone and the lowpressure zone and by means of said non-miscible liquid displacing theemulsifiable liquid from the intermediate zone and discharging it intothe low pressure zone, and controlling the rate of said inflow of theemulsifiable liquid from the high pressure zone to the intermediate zoneby flowing it through a relatively, means to supply to the transferchamber, under a pressure greater than that in the receiver, anotherliquid non-miscible with that to be transferred and to discharge fromthe transfer chamber, under a pressure less than that in the container,said non-miscible liquid, said transfer chamber, except for said meansand connections, being hermetically closed, means adapted to connect thecontainer with the transfer chamber While throttling the discharge ofnon-miscible liquid and to connect the transfer chamber with thereceiver while throttling the supply of nonmiscible liquid.

18. In means for transferring an emulsifiable fluid from a zone of highpressure to a zone of low pressure without substantial atomization oremulsification, the combination with a high pressure container and a lowpressure receiver for the liquid to be transferred, of two intermediatechambers adapted to contain a body of fluid non-miscible with the firstnamed fluid, means affording communication between each chamber and thecontainer and between each chamber and the receiver, an independentconnection between the two chambers for back and forth flow of saidnon-miscible fluid, valve means operable to connect the container withone chamber and the receiver with the other chamber and alternatelytherewith to reverse said connections, thereby causing fluid from thecontainer, subject to the pressure therein, to expel, to the lowpressure receiver, through an intermediate body of non-miscible fluid, asuccession of previously discharged bodies of the first named fluid,automatically operating means controlling said valve means and adaptedto effect said reversal of connections, and means to throttle the flowof said non-miscible fluid through said independent connection and tovary the throttling of the flow inversely with changes of level in thecontainer.

19. An apparatus for the transfer of an emulsifiable fluid from a highpressure zone to a low pressure zone andfor maintaining a substantiallyuniform level of fluid in the high pressure zone, comprising a highpressure container and a low pressure receiver, two intermediatechambers, a cross connection between them, said chambers containing aquantity of fluid (non-miscible with the flrst mentioned fluid) greatenough to more than fill one of them, a multiported valve adapted in itsmovement to connect one chamber with the container, thereby placing thatchamber under high pressure, and the other chamber with the receiver,thereby placing the second chamber under low pressure, and alternatelytherewith to reverse said connections, so that each of the chambers isalternately filled with the first named fluid pushing the non-misciblefluid therein to the other chamber and with non-miscible fluid pushingthe first named fluid therein to the receiver, means controlled by therise and fall of the liquid level in said chambers adapted to controlthe operation of said multiported valve to effect said reversal ofconnections, and means controlled by the rise and fall of fluid in saidcontainer to control the rate of flow of non-miscible fluid through saidcross connection so that its rate increases or decreases with rise andfall of fluid in said container.

DANIEL IRVING ASHWORTH.

